Cast steel underframe for railway cars



June 14, 1932. M. H. MARTIN 1,363,311

CAST STEEL UNDERFRAME FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Oct. 30, 1950 l l l I I W ATTOKNE) Patented June 14, 19-32.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE MARK H. MARTIN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IBIRDSBORO STEEL FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF BIRDSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA CAST STEEL UNDERFRAME FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed October 30, 1930.

My invention relates broadly to cast steel underframes for railway cars and the like but more particularly to means which is formed integrally with the said frame for supporting the brake rigging employed for causing such cars or a train of such cars to come to a stop.

The general object of the invention is to provide a cast steel underframe with means properly located thereon and adapted for supporting the brake rigging which supports and by which the brake shoes may be applied to the peripheries of the wheels of a railway car or other rotatable part thereof for the purpose of bringing the car or a train of cars to a stop when desired.

It also is an object of the invention to provide the means which is integral with the cast steel frame for supporting the brake rigging instrumentalities with means for supporting a bar extending underneath and transversely of the length of the frame, which bar is movable transversely of its length for actuating the brake rigging instrumentalities.

To the foregoing and other ends my invention comprehends the construction as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims appended to the said-specification and in the drawing to which reference should be made for a clearer understanding of the invention.

In the drawing I have shown a preferred form of mechanical embodiment of the invention but it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other constructions differing in detail from that shown and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the said invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of a fragmentaryportion of a cast steel underframe for a railway car which is provided with brake rigging supporting means embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3'is a similar view taken on the line Serial No. 492,187.

3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing more clearly cer tain details of construction.

In the drawing I have shown at 1 a cast steel underframe. It of course will be understood that if other metals should be found frame to permit the application of the'brake shoes supported by the brake rigging means to the peripheries of the wheels of the truck.

It will be noted that the upper portions 3 of the projections 2 are of considerable length and also that the projections extend lengthwise of the underframe. It is necessary that the base portions of the projections 2-shall be of considerable length as shown in order that the horizontal slots or openings 4 maybe provided therein for the support of the bar'5 for operating the brake rigging instrumentalities. The bar 5 is located in'the horizontally extending slots 4 and is adapted'to'be moved or slid back and forth 111'CllIQClZlOIlSICIOSSWlSB of its length upon the bottoms of the said slots. By reason of the length of the base portions 3 of the projections 2 the presence of the said slots does not weaken the said projections to a point to render them liable to breakage. For the purpose of causing back and forth movements of the'bar 5 transversely of its length I have provided cylinders '6 of known construction and operation having piston or connecting rods 7 which areconnected to the bars 5 associated with respective brake rigging instrumentalities of'a car structure. Located upon the opposite sides of and in near relation to the projections 2 are "the projections 10 which serve as fulcra fonthe equalizing bars of the truck structure. These bars are not shown but their function in the truck structures for supporting the underframe and superstructure of a railway car is well understood.

For the purpose of permitting lateral movements of the brake bar 5 the projections are provided respectively with notches 11 in one edge thereof. The members for supporting the brake shoes are of known construction and constitute no part of the present invention and for that reason these members are shown in dash and dot lines. These members are located near the opposite sides of the underframe and each of them comprises a lever 15 pivoted at its upper end to the lower end of the projection 2. The opposite lower swinging end of the said lever is connected to the outer edge or crown of a brake shoe 16. The said brake shoe is also supported by means of a link 17 which has pivotal connection with the projection 2 near the upper edge or part thereof, as indicated at 18. The

opposite brake shoe l9'of each pair is pivotally connected at its outer edge or crown to the lower end of a lever 20 the upper end of which is connected to the outer end of a link 21 having connection through a coupling .clevis 22 with the bar 5. The lever 20 is connected near its lower end to one end of an adjustable link 23 the opposite end of which is connected to the lever 15 intermediate its ends, as shown in Fig. 2. The brake shoe 19 is supported in elevated position by means of a link 24: the upper end of which is vpivotally connected in adjoining relation to one end of the base portion 3 of the projection 2. It will beunderstood that the brake rigging instrumentalities which have just'been described are duplicated at the opposite sides of a truck.

It will beapparent that upon movement laterally of the bar 5 pivotal movements of the levers 20 are effected, which movements cause the application or release of the brake shoes 16 and 19toor from the peripheries of the wheels of the truck. As stated, the brake rigging instrumentalities are of known construction and have been referred to and described merely for thesake of clarity in the ex osition of the invention. 7

t will be seen that by my invention I have provided convenient and practical means integrally related to a cast steel underframe structure for railway cars which is adapted for supporting the brake rigging instrumentalities with which car structures are supplied and also that I have provided other projections employed as fulcra for the equalizmg bars of the truck structures for railway cars with means whereby they may be located in desired position with respect to the brake rigging mechanism without interfering with the operation of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. An integral cast metal underframe for a railway car structure or the like comprising pro ections upon the under side thereof whlch extend downwardly therefrom, which projections are located in spaced relation to each other near the opposite side edges of the said underframe and each of said projections being providedwith a horizontal slot within v alinement with each other and are located in contiguous relation to the under side of the said underframe, and a brake rigging actuating bar mounted within the said slots and adapted to be moved in directions crosswise of its length.

3. An integral cast metal underframe for railway car structures or the like comprising 7 in co-operative relation to the trucks of such railway car structures integral projections upon the under side thereof which extend downwardly, the said projections being located near the opposite side edges of the said frame and the said projections having slots extending therethrough, which slots are in alinement with each other and are located in contiguous relation to the under side of the said underframe, and integrally cast projections located in near relation to the first named projections and constituting fulcra for the equalizing bars of the trucks of said railway car structures.

4. An integral cast metal underframe for railway car structures carrying brake rigging and having projections cast integrally being located in spaced parallel relation to' each other near the opposite side edges ofthe said underframe, and the said slots being in alinement with each other, a bar mounted within said slots and adapted to be moved therein in directions crosswise of its length, and means connecting the said bar to parts of the brake rigging instrumentalities whereby movement of the said bar causesmovement of the said instrumentalities for the application and release of the brakes to and from the wheels of a truck upon which the underframeis supported.

5. A cast steel underframe for railways cars comprising integral projections which extend downwardly from the under side of the said frame, the said projections being arranged in pairs, those of each pair being arranged in opposed relation to each other and being located upon opposite side portions of the underframe, the said projections comprising elongated basal portions and tapering projecting portions which extend downwardly from the said basal portions, and the said basal portions being provided with horizontal slots, and a brake bar mounted in said slots and slidable transversely of its length therein.

6. A cast steel underframe for railway cars comprising integral projections which extend downwardly from the under side of the said frame, the said projections being arranged in pairs, those of each pair being arranged in opposed relation to each other and being located upon opposite side portions of the underframe, the said projections comprising elongated basal portions and tapering projecting portions which extend downwardly from the said basal portions, and the said basal portions being provided with horizontal slots, and projections located outside of and spaced from the said first named projections, the said second named projections constituting fulcra for the equalizing bars of a truck, and the said second named projections having notches therein.

7. A cast steel underframe for railway cars comprising integral projections which extend downwardly from the under side of the said frame, the said projections being arranged in pairs, those of each pair being arranged in opposed relation to each other and being located upon opposite side portions of the underframe, the said projections comprising elongated basal portions and tapering projecting portions which extend downwardly from the said basal portions, and the said basal portions being provided with horizontal slots, a brake bar mounted in said slots and slidable transversely of its length therein, and projections located outside of and in spaced relation to the first named projections, the said second named projections constituting fulcra for the equalizing bars of a truck, and the said second named projections each having a notch in one edge thereof to permit the sliding movements of the said bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 27 day of October, A. D., 1930.

MARK H. MARTIN. 

